15 ft finish mower. Anyone own one of these?

[Steppenwolfe]

I’ve got a Progressive TD-65, I pull it with a Kubota L6060. I bought two of them and a skid load of parts from a local sod farm that closed. I kept one and the parts. It works great and has been very reliable, but I like the fact that there isn’t anything on it that couldn’t be sourced locally or homemade.
I grease it regularly and replaced a valve stem in a pneumatic caster. Haven’t changed a belt yet, but I’ve got spares.

Cut quality is excellent. I’m sure that the woods, LP or Befco are all similar quality.

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Yep... that's what I'm talking about. I found what I want, down to two choices; 12ft Woods or a 15ft Befco. Need to do a little more research tomorrow.

 

[Popgadget]

You might want to take a look at the progressive, they’ve got a 12 and 15-1/2. Most sod farms around here use them.

 

[Molalla1]

Well, my pastures are very clean, rolling orchard grasses. No rocks or soil mounds. I figure it will be more like 30 acres of lawn, as we don't graze animals or hay. Don't ask... wifey likes it mowed...

:thumbsup: . . . no more questions needed.

 

[workinonit]

Good job... That is what I wanted to hear. The one I found is 15ft, probably would mow my 30 acres in 4 to 6 hours.

Yep, I would have never bought a 20' machine but it had been used a few years to cut grass on sod farms. Still had the original set of blades. These things new at the time were $1K per foot basically. I bought mine for $7K. I had an 8' Coroni that took me a couple of hours to cut my pasture with. This mower takes me as long to hook it up and get to the pasture than it takes to cut the grass. Time is money for me. The best money I have ever spent. And I love the cut from the mower. Just wish I could find the hydraulic unlatch add on.

 

[tlj87]

I had a 12’ befco flex wing for a couple years. It cut very nice. My property is just too hilly and at the time I had a 2wd Ford 3000 that powered it fine. I would get pushed going down hills and spin going up. I replaced the tires with brand new Firestone SAT II’s and had them filled with Rimgard. Still had the same problem except now it ripped up the turf even more when sliding or spinning. Now I have a 4x4 JD 4700 which I suspect would handle the hills better but I’m now using a Woods RD990x.

Batwing finish mower - YouTube

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Well, I decided to go with the Befco 15 ft flex wing. Having looked a the machine, speaking with the dealer, and hammering out the price, I believe it is the right mower for me. My 30 acres are lightly rolling and in several continuous plots of 5 acres to 15 acres. No doubt I will be cutting my mow time from days to hours. Thanks to all of you for your input, it is highly valued. Merry Christmas...

 

[tlj87]

Well, I decided to go with the Befco 15 ft flex wing. Having looked a the machine, speaking with the dealer, and hammering out the price, I believe it is the right mower for me. My 30 acres are lightly rolling and in several continuous plots of 5 acres to 15 acres. No doubt I will be cutting my mow time from days to hours. Thanks to all of you for your input, it is highly valued. Merry Christmas...

Congrats. If you don’t already, order a battery operated grease gun and a case of grease. There’s a LOT of grease fittings to tend to. I also echo the statement about making sure all wheels are solid (except for the two trailer tires).

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Congrats. If you don稚 already, order a battery operated grease gun and a case of grease. There痴 a LOT of grease fittings to tend to. I also echo the statement about making sure all wheels are solid (except for the two trailer tires).

Roger that. I believe there is something like 50 !!! grease zerks...

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Well, I switched gears at the last moment and went with a 12ft Landpride batwing. Mows like my zero turn. Mowed 20 acres today in about 3.5 hours...

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[coobie]

Great looking mower..

 

[dieselscout80]

I noticed that the 12’ Landpride batwing had a high blade tip speed and I’ll bet that helps with cut quality.

What are you pulling it with?

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I noticed that the 12’ Landpride batwing had a high blade tip speed and I’ll bet that helps with cut quality.

What are you pulling it with?

With a new Kubota MX5400. The quality of the cut is amazing.

 

[Molalla1]

With a new Kubota MX5400. The quality of the cut is amazing.

Nice! when ya going to put a few holes in . . . I'll be by does look really nice.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Nice! when ya going to put a few holes in . . . I'll be by does look really nice.

You are welcome any time. You hanging in there?

 

[Lineman North Florida]

With a new Kubota MX5400. The quality of the cut is amazing.

A lot of rough cut mower have straight blades rather than lifting type blades like your mower has and the straight blades do a very poor job on grass while the lifting blades will often leave a cut that looks close to a finish mower.

 

[Molalla1]

You are welcome any time. You hanging in there?

Pretty much . . . thanks Wolf.

 

[aczlan]

A lot of rough cut mower have straight blades rather than lifting type blades like your mower has and the straight blades do a very poor job on grass while the lifting blades will often leave a cut that looks close to a finish mower.

That is because a turf batwing IS a finish mower. They will generally have three 4-6 foot wide finish mower decks with standard finish mower blades.

Aaron Z

 

[Popgadget]

That is because a turf batwing IS a finish mower.

BINGO!

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I guess I have never seen a turf batwing with stump jumpers , I would have thought the mower he bought would be a rough cut batwing, no belts, stump jumpers, but you learn something new on here everyday, the mower he bought would be considered a rough cut in my opinion.

 

[workinonit]

That cutter in the pic is not a FM. FMs have lawn mower blades like the Befco. That cutter is a bush hog with sling out blades and stump jumpers.